Tuesday, 28 July 2015

‘Teachers hit out at teacher training’… or do they?

An article in the Sunday Timesquotes Katie Ashford and my thoughts
on Initial Teacher Training (ITT) in the UK. This follows a speech that we gave
at Wellington Festival of Education in June,

in which we argued that it is theideasin education that contribute to the
attainment gap.

We are disappointed with the article because it fails to
recognise

the many positive things that Katie and I think and have
said about Teach First.

Both of us believe that Teach First is an excellent
organisation.

As I have said before, evidence suggests thatTeach First is working,
and that it has contributed

to ashift in the perception of the teaching profession among graduates.

And we are not alone in thinking that.

In 2011, Ofsted rated Teach First training as outstanding
in 44 categories out of 44.

Nevertheless, Katie and I thinkteacher training can still improve.

I could do a lot improve my teaching. Katie could do a
lot to improve hers.

Both of us are focused on getting better. Teach First
shares our desire to learn,

and is always willing to listen to and act on feedback
from participants and ambassadors.

One of the things that Katie and I find most refreshing
about Teach First is the willingness

to have a dialogue about what it could do to improve as a
training provider.

We, and many other Teach First ambassadors, often have
the opportunity to express our opinions and offer constructive suggestions.
Teach First are continually making changes to the programme, aiming to prepare
participants as well as possible to start in teaching.

For our part, we will continue to work towards closing
theresearch-practice gapin
ITT.

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